Dallas Cowboys: Could this long shot crack the roster?

One longtime Dallas Cowboys insider believes fans of America’s Team will know this undrafted rookie’s name by the end of the preseason this year.

Last year at this time, the Dallas Cowboys defensive secondary had just experienced a radical youth movement. Gone were veterans like safety Barry Church and starting cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne. Inserted into the depth chart were a bunch of rookies in second rounder Chidobe Awuzie, third rounder Jourdan Lewis and sixth round safety Xavier Woods.

All three rookies played integral roles along Dallas’ defensive secondary in 2017. And this young group helped the Cowboys nearly crack the top ten list of passing defenses in the NFL last season, ranking 11th in the league.

With another offseason training program under their collective belts, plus the experience they gathered from their first full season as professionals, this group of second-year defenders are expected to elevate their game even more in 2018.

As it stands, Awuzie and Lewis are favorites to start at cornerback. The Cowboys shifted safety Byron Jones back to corner this offseason, opening a starting role at his previous spot that Woods is currently the favorite to overtake.

Now, throw in cornerbacks like Anthony Brown, Duke Thomas, Marquez White along with safeties Jeff Heath and Kavon Frazier, and you’ve got a strong, young, talented core of defenders for the Cowboys to choose from in 2018.

We haven’t even mentioned Dallas’ promising group of undrafted rookie free agents. Names like San Diego State’s Kam Kelly and Middle Tennessee State’s Charvarius Moore at cornerback. Or safeties like former quarterback Jameill Showers, 2018 futures signee Marqueston Huff and Oregon UDFA Tyree Robinson. Any of whom could emerge to crack the Cowboys active roster this upcoming season.

But one longtime Cowboys insider specifically pointed out one undrafted free agent as having the potential to make a lot of noise this offseason. At that’s Portland State’s Donovan Olumba.

"“Ok, so [Olumba’s] not exactly on the radar right now. But this undrafted rookie has the size Kris Richard is looking for at the corner position,” wrote Nick Eatman for DallasCowboys.com. “A 6-2 speedster with long arms? The Cowboys will give him plenty of chances to stick around.”"

After playing just one year of varsity high school football, Olumba spent three years at Alderson Broaddus University, a Division II college, before transferring to Portland State. During his senior season with the Vikings, Olumba rocketed up the depth chart from being buried on the bench to starter, posting 21 total tackles and seven pass defends in 2017.

Although his numbers aren’t spectacular, Olumba is purely a traits guy in Dallas. Standing 6-foot-2 with 10 1/4 arms and running a 4.62 forty, the undrafted rookie has the physical attributes you have to believe the former leader of the Legion of Boom and new defensive backs coach in Dallas, Kris Richard, absolutely loves.

Next: Top 10 Undrafted Free Agents in Dallas Cowboys History

The Dallas Cowboys already have such a talented, young defensive secondary unit, it will be very difficult for any undrafted rookie free agent to crack this active roster. Still, the Cowboys have had tremendous success in the past finding these hidden gems. Maybe cornerback Donovan Olumba is just the latest in a long line of long shots who end up defying expectations.